Should school board guide cuts?

Published: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 04:20 PM.

A discussion by school board members this week of eliminating a carpentry program illustrates the difficulty of making education cuts during tight budget times.

Members of the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education discussed for almost an hour Monday the planned elimination of a program offered to students of Cummings and Williams high schools. At the end of the debate, board members took no action, but were promised staff members would report back to them on the matter.

The discussion came during the board’s monthly meeting. The program being discussed involves students from Cummings and Williams who are bused to Graham High School for Carpentry I, II and III classes.

School officials said enrollment in the program has over the years dwindled, making it not feasible in these tough economic times to continue offering it. Superintendent Lillie Cox told board members that 20 students from Cummings and 16 from Williams are enrolled in the three classes. Just the bus and driver needed to transport them to Graham costs the school system more than $18,000 per year, Cox said.

Board member Patsy Simpson brought the matter to the board’s attention. Discussion of the construction program – along with two other matters, one from Simpson and one from Pam Thompson – were last-minute additions to the night’s agenda. The vote to place the items on the agenda passed by a 4-3 margin – board members Jackie Cole, Kris Moffitt and Steve Van Pelt saying they felt the matters would be better first-addressed at a work session where staff members and others had a chance to prepare.

Simpson said she learned of the elimination of the carpentry program during a visit to Graham High when students approached her about the matter. Simpson said she was disappointed to learn the program had been eliminated without the board being made aware.

She said she felt that despite numerous technological advances, there would always be a need for carpenters.

A discussion by school board members this week of eliminating a carpentry program illustrates the difficulty of making education cuts during tight budget times.

Members of the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education discussed for almost an hour Monday the planned elimination of a program offered to students of Cummings and Williams high schools. At the end of the debate, board members took no action, but were promised staff members would report back to them on the matter.

The discussion came during the board’s monthly meeting. The program being discussed involves students from Cummings and Williams who are bused to Graham High School for Carpentry I, II and III classes.

School officials said enrollment in the program has over the years dwindled, making it not feasible in these tough economic times to continue offering it. Superintendent Lillie Cox told board members that 20 students from Cummings and 16 from Williams are enrolled in the three classes. Just the bus and driver needed to transport them to Graham costs the school system more than $18,000 per year, Cox said.

Board member Patsy Simpson brought the matter to the board’s attention. Discussion of the construction program – along with two other matters, one from Simpson and one from Pam Thompson – were last-minute additions to the night’s agenda. The vote to place the items on the agenda passed by a 4-3 margin – board members Jackie Cole, Kris Moffitt and Steve Van Pelt saying they felt the matters would be better first-addressed at a work session where staff members and others had a chance to prepare.

Simpson said she learned of the elimination of the carpentry program during a visit to Graham High when students approached her about the matter. Simpson said she was disappointed to learn the program had been eliminated without the board being made aware.

She said she felt that despite numerous technological advances, there would always be a need for carpenters.

“As far as I know, we’re still building houses, still building decks,” Simpson said. “We have to look out for all our students. We have to remember there are still people who like to work with their hands.”

Cox said problems with the carpentry program have been building for years, and said there have been times when fewer than half the students enrolled in Carpentry I enrolled in Carpentry II the following year. Finding the proper place to teach the classes has been difficult, Cox said.

“A lot of it is a resource issue,” she said.

Cox and other school officials said students enrolled in the program and wishing to complete it might do so through a partnership with Alamance Community College.

Van Pelt said there had never been a big demand for carpentry classes, noting that when he was principal at Sellars-Gunn Education Center 12 years ago “these numbers were typical.” He said that with the school system looking to make up a budget deficit of more than $3 million, “We’re having to make hard decisions.”

He also questioned if every program eliminated by the school system should first be approved by the board.

“I think we’ve gone too far down in the gravel here,” Van Pelt said, referring to the possibility of overseeing every action taken by administrators.

Cole agreed.

“It’s dangerous for the board to look at one snapshot,” she said. “We can’t come back and attack staff every time they make a decision.”

Simpson countered that she knew times were tough and cuts to curriculum were going to have to be made. She said the board should be made aware of potential cuts.

There was also debate as to whether the placement of the carpentry program at Graham High made it so difficult for students from Cummings and Williams to attend that they gave up on it. At one point, the question was raised as to why the program wasn’t offered at the new vocational technology center off North Church Street.

“We’re going to make some serious cuts this year,” Simpson said. “Lay it all on the table.”

Chairman Tony Rose compared the issue to a chicken/egg matter. It students aren’t encouraged to take carpentry classes and the classes made readily accessible, he asked, how do administrators expect them to enroll?

“We need to be careful what we decide to eliminate,” Rose said.

Thompson chimed in at one point, questioning how the system could “pick and choose” the elimination of a program that is the passion of some students.

Simpson eventually made a motion that construction and collision repair courses be kept for students at Cummings and Williams. The motion was seconded by Thompson.

Discussion – at times lively – continued.

“You’re going to keep this program and tell a classroom teacher who has more students to go home?” Cole asked.

At one point debate between Cole and Simpson became spirited enough to where Cole said: “Patsy, I’m an adult, don’t yell at me.”

Ken Byrd, the system’s executive director of secondary education, finally became involved, called by board members to the front of the meeting room to address the matter. Byrd encouraged board members to table Simpson’s motion and discuss the matter at an upcoming work session when all aspects could be considered.

“What you’re about to vote on has unintended ramifications on other programs,” Byrd said. “All programs have to be paid for.”

Moffitt said much the same and questioned if every time a class has a low enrollment and is being considered for elimination, should it be brought before the board for approval? She also questioned why the issue was sprung on the board at the last-minute Monday without board or staff members being made aware beforehand.

“I’d love to have been prepared,” Moffitt said. “I’m sure staff would love to have been better prepared – to look at other options.”

Simpson eventually withdrew her motion, agreeing the matter could be reviewed at an upcoming work session, though she also said that future elimination of classes or programs needs to come before the board.